Decisions, opinions, etc., of utilization review committee privileged.

(a) The decisions, opinions, actions and proceedings rendered, entered or acted upon in good faith and without malice and on the basis of facts reasonably known or reasonably believed to exist of any committee of physicians or surgeons, acting as a committee of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, or any state, county, or municipal medical association or society, or as a committee of any licensed hospital or clinic, or the medical staff thereof, undertaken or performed within the scope and function of such committee as legally defined herein shall be privileged, and no member thereof shall be liable for such decision, opinion, action, or proceeding.

(b) Within the words and meaning of this section, a committee shall include one formed or appointed as a utilization review committee, or similar committee, or committee of similar purpose, to evaluate or review the diagnosis or treatment or the performance of medical services which are performed with respect to private patients or under public medical programs of either state or federal design, with respect to any physical or mental disease, injury, or ailment or to define, maintain, or apply the professional or medical standards of the association, society, hospital, clinic, or medical staff from, by, or for which it was appointed.

(Acts 1971, No. 2277, p. 3668, §§1, 2; Acts 1976, No. 693, p. 960, §2.)